Hematology/Oncology and Blood & Marrow Transplant

Research Summary: Hematology/Oncology and Blood & Marrow Transplant

Dr. Saunders is a Board Certified Oncology Pharmacist working in Thoracic/Head & Neck medical oncology and Blood & Marrow Transplant at Moores Cancer Center (MCC). Prior to joining the faculty at SSPPS in August 2014, Dr. Saunders was a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) and practiced in the department of Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapy (SCTCT) for 6 years.

Dr. Saunders is an active member of the Hematology Oncology Pharmacists Association (HOPA) and has served as a member of the Session Proposal Task Force (2011-2014), Research Abstract Review Work Group (2014-2015), and currently serves on the BCOP Conference Program Planning Committee as Chair. She also serves as the Vice-chair of the Entry-level Competencies in Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Practice for Graduates of the Doctor of Pharmacy Degree and Post-Graduate Year 1 Pharmacy Practice Residency Task Force for HOPA. Dr. Saunders is also a member of the American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT) Pharmacy Special Interest Group and serves on the Advocacy & Policy Working Committee as the current immediate-past chair (2017-present). She also is an active member of the SWOG (Southwestern Oncology Group) Pharmaceutical Sciences Committee and the Drug Information Subcommittee.

At SSPPS, Dr. Saunders serves on several committees, including the Committee on Educational Policy, the Co-curricular task force, and the Pfizer/UCSD Pharmacology/Oncology Fellowship committee. She is the first oncology clinical pharmacist in the outpatient clinics at MCC and has collaborated with cancer center and pharmacy leadership to expand oncology clinical pharmacy services at MCC. She also serves as a member of the Institutional Review Board- Oncology and is a member of the Oncology Pharmacy & Therapeutics subcommittee at MCC.

Teaching

Co-Chair Therapeutics (SPPS 212C)

Co-Chair Introduction to Oncology elective (SPPS 288)

Key Contributions to Clinical Pharmacy

Collaborated with MCC nursing colleagues to develop and implement a chemotherapy class for cancer patients at MCC.

Collaborated with anoncology pharmacy colleague, to develop a succinct toxicity checklist that utilizes the EPIC EMR to help providers effectively and efficiently assess a patient receiving immunotherapy for immune-mediated toxicities over the course of treatment.

Working closely with cancer center and pharmacy leadership to expand oncology clinical pharmacy services at MCC.